Bob Bondurant was born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1933. Not long after he was born in Illinois in 1933, his. But on Monday, the high-performance driving . Bob formulated a plan to open a high-performance driving school. They moved to Westwood Village, near Beverly Hills, when Bob was 3 years old. Bob's massive 60-acre complex in Arizona is designed to show students the fastest and safest way around the 1.6-mile road course. Robert Lewis Bondurant was born on April 27, 1933, to John Roper Bondurant and Ruth Williams Bondurant of Evanston, Ill. His father owned two luxury car dealerships named Bondurant Motors. When Bob turned two years old, the family moved to Westwood Village, Calif. Bob began his fascination with speed as a three-year-old on his first tricycle with playing cards clothes pinned on his spokes for the sound of the rush. [Bob Bondurant] is a very good man, Jason Bondurant said, mentioning his adopted fathers stroke, knee replacement and other health problems. It was in October 1965 that Bob drove a V-8powered Formula 1 Ferrari for the North American Racing Team entered by Luigi Chinetti, the U.S. Ferrari distributor. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorization. He was 88. Bondurant raced cars in the 1960s with some success until a crash at Watkins Glen, in New York curtailed his career. Power is provided by a highly-tuned, period-correct Ford 289 V8 which sends power to the rear wheels via aZF five-speed manual transaxle. It featured a 15-turn, 1.6-mile road course, an eight-acre asphalt pad for advanced training with more than 100 race-prepared vehicles, sedans, and open-wheel cars. After all, Bob Bondurant is the only American World Champion Driver, Le Mans winner, and inducted into ten Hall of Fames, so theres a reason theyve been around for 53 years, they know what it takes to succeed. From the age of 23 to 34, Bob became one of the most iconic race car drivers in the world. He was finally reunited with his elusive GT40, and wow, did he have fun tracking this car for the next eight years!, Bob tracked this car at a Shelby reunion on the Fontana Raceway. From the professional race track to the big screen, Bob Bondurant, for more than 50 years, has trained anyone with a driver's license and a set of keys to handle any vehicle at extremely high speeds by combining the oft-chased union of precision, safety and self-confidence. [citation needed], The famous Bondurant name has never been bought or sold. In 1966 his life would forever change the he was hired to serve as a technical consultant and driver trainer for the John Frankenheimer film Grand Prix. In 1967, Bob led the GT Class at Le Mans with co-driver Dick Guldstrand in a stock L88 Corvette Sting Ray until retiring at the 15th hour. Be a part of the unmatched history and credibility of the legendary Bondurant Brands and copyrighted teaching methodology. Bob's father owned a car dealership that sold fast cars in nearby Chicago; very fast carsCords to be exact. Bob's father bounced back, becoming a surgical instrument sale representative once in California. I bought it for $40. He is one of the Richest Formula One Driver who was born in United States. [4], Bondurant was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003. 69-year-old suffers stroke in his N.C. home; Realtor showing house leaves him there. If were going to leave, lets leave the right way and not be spiteful, he said. They might all wish to tip their hats to the founder, Robert Lewis Bondurant, who died Nov. 12 in Paradise Valley, Ariz., at the age of 88. She had a Chrysler. This car become one of Bondurants most prized possessions after it was bought for him as a Christmas gift by his wife, you can read the story of this below: Bob Bondurants wife Pat searched for months and found her husband the best GT40 replica money could buy, a right-hand drive ERA GT40, almost identical to the GT40s he raced for Carroll Shelby back in the 1960s., Bob rubbed his eyes in disbelief when the transporter dropped this car off in the Bondurants driveway on Christmas morning. Guildstrand asked Bob how to tell when he was approaching the Tertre Rouge corner at the end of the long (4381 feet) Mulsanne Straight at night. Right now, Bondurant's class sizes are about 60 percent full,. For 1967 he drove in the CanAm series and in a Corvette L88 Coupe at Le Mans. How many sharing the road with Bob that day did double takes to make sure they saw what they thought they saw? It's important to note that Bob was driving an eight-cylinder Ferrari while the factory drivers had V-12s. 'No.' He talked me into going to a sports car race at the Santa Barbara airport course. We cherish his memories and will forever remember him and his . There were no driving schools then," Bob laughs. [5], Bondurant died in Paradise Valley, Arizona, on November 12, 2021, at the age of 88. [citation needed], Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Successful successions: Business owners plan for smooth retirement transition", "Last Year Firebird Raceway and the Arizona NHRA Nationals; In 2014 it's Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Bondurant_School_of_High_Performance_Driving&oldid=1137791074, This page was last edited on 6 February 2023, at 13:15. The 88-year-old is among a handful of Americans who have competed in Formula 1, in NASCAR, in CanAm and at Le Mans, where he won driving for Carroll Shelby while sharing the ride with Dan Gurney in. Bondurants ERA GT40 is now being offered for sale on Bring A Trailer, it has just ~7,000 miles on the odometer and its being sold out of Chandler, Arizona. Bob Bondurant, champion driver and founder of the Bondurant Racing School, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88. Motorsport Images. I was going with a girl who I liked a lot, but she said, 'If we're going to get married you're going to have to stop racing motorcycles. Bob Bondurant was one of the most successful American racing drivers of his era, he also coached a slew of celebrities This is Bob Bondurant at Riverside Raceway with the Shelby GT350 Mustang prototype for testing in 1965. Bondurant was one of the most famous drivers to emerge from the Southern California road racing scene in the 1950s, and achieved success in North America and in Europe. The first was becoming a World Champion driver. Looking for something specific? PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) -- Bob Bondurant, a former champion race car driver who opened a high-performance driving school in 1968 and taught numerous A-list actors for their movie roles, has died. When the transporter to take Bob's car to the circuit didn't arrive, it was decided that Bob should drive the Ferrari to the track. It's either me or the motorcycle.' SAI teammates Dave MacDonald and Bob Bondurant co-drive Shelby Cobra Roadster CSX2136 - jointly entered by Steve McQueen & Carroll Shelby - to a 1st in GT & . That was the beginning of the Nov. 12 walkout, Jason Bondurant said. Bob Bondurant, who went from winning races on the international stage to teaching others to win races at his famous driving school, has passed away at age 88. He was one of a handful of Americans to compete in the Formula 1 Grand Prix series, and also raced at Le Mans. November 14, 2021 9:30 AM, By RACER Staff | The allegations, which include belittlement, racism, unequal treatment and fears that they wouldnt get paid, come from a thorough report in the ClassicCars.com Journal substantiated by interviews with Jalopnik. Jason Bondurant told Jalopnik that about a week after the walkout, the schools accounts wouldnt have had enough money to make payroll as things were, but that he had a plan to get the school through Jan. 1hence the fears about payroll. Bob Bondurant was a motor racing icon, a name synonymous with Carroll Shelby's globetrotting Cobras and Daytona Coupes. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving was an American performance driving school, specializing in instruction for high performance driving, teen defensive driving, law enforcement and special forces driving, open wheel race car training, Grand Prix road racing, drag racing, go karts, and other courses using the copyrighted Bondurant Method. November 14, 2021 9:30 AM ET. The name Bob Bondurant is synonymous with the Shelby Cobra. Bob had a faster qualifying speed than Pedro Rodriguez at 1:13.0 in the 12-cylinder Ferrari. The allegations revolve around Pat Bondurant, the schools president of eight years, CEO since 2017 and wife of founder Bob Bondurant. We used to go to my aunt's house for Christmas dinner and my cousin had a big four-door Jag Mark VII. Do you wear belts or not? When he made the decision to leave, he said, other employees went with him. The Bondurant Racing School was founded in 1968 and . The Bondurant edition Shelby 289 FIA Cobra roadster in fiberglass will start at US$149,995.00 and the aluminum version will begin at $249,995. The school did not directly respond to this claim. Click here to view Vintage Motorsports appreciation of the amazing life of Bob Bondurant. Ask any race car driver and they will tell you, on the edge, exceeding the limits, is where harmony is found. His legacy will remain with us forever. Since Bob has never stopped racing (he still enters vintage events), he still has some sneaky moves his experienced instructors have never seen before. "I did a jump on my bike and the springer fork came off and I went end-over-end, put the fork back together, and rode home. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake he moved the driving school to Phoenix, Arizona, where he enjoyed close ties to General Motors and Goodyear Tires. "There was a road on the outskirts of Bishop off Highway 2 where there was a dirt oval track that ran jalopy races. He won his class at Le Mans and has been inducted into ten motorsports halls of fame. It was formerly located in Chandler, Arizona at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc., 17030 Red Hill Avenue, Irvine, CA 92614, 949.417.6700 On Twitter, his family wrote that he "passed away in his sleep after a short illness." This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed, First published on November 14, 2021 / 2:02 PM. He bought a British two-seater Morgan Plus 4 with four cylinders that put out 68 hp and raced it for a year, graduating to a Triumph TR2 with a blazing 90 horses stock. Bob might've thought, if just for an instant, if the guys at the Piccadilly could only see me now! If my dad was mentally there like he was [then], we would have never gotten to this place. "I talked my mom into letting me get a '32 Chevy roadster when I was in junior high; at 14 you could get a Junior Operating License. Bondurant was a driving instructor to actors James Garner, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Robert Wagner, Tim Allen, Tom Cruise, and Nicolas Cage. That's how I learned to ride motorcycles," Bob laughs. Died:. . [] Bob Bondurant, 1933-2021 RACER Advertisements [], [] and driving school founder Bob Bondurant died Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88, Racer has [], [] Bob Bondurant, iconic racer and performance driving mogul, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, AZ. Bondurant Racing School was founded in 1968 and has graduated celebrities for car movies like James Garner, Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, and Christian Bale, along with over 500,000 graduates from around the world. Were confident that once all of the legal matters are behind us and the school emerges from the restructuring, the truth will be told through the proper channels.. He didn't answer. Bondurant relocated the driving school to Phoenix following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in California. "They had a used car lot there, Don worked on the cars and I sold used Corvettes. As a result, the schools assets, not the Bondurant name, were sold off in 2019. After 12 laps Bob moved up to Eighth from his starting position of 14th on a completely wet track. Of course since Bob was an experienced dirt racer he could have picked up a used Midget or Sprinter and gone that route. In late 2018, Pat and Bob Bondurant found themselves embroiled in an unfortunate and unforeseen family business situation where they were victimized as a result of a power struggle and attempted character assaults perpetrated by certain close family members looking to take over the company. Bob Bondurant excelled at the highest levels of sports car racing in the 1960s, with perhaps his greatest achievement coming in 1964 when he won the GT class at Le Mans 24 Hours driving with. In 1967, a fateful race at Watkins Glen changed his entire career, and the Bondurant School was born. [9], In late 2018, Bob Bondurant and wife Pat, found themselves embroiled in an unfortunate and unforeseen family business situation where they were victimized as a result of a power struggle and attempted character assaults perpetrated by certain close family members looking to take over the company. I talked my mom into letting me get a Whizzer motor bike. What Bob Bondurant started 22 years ago as a part-time business for a crippled race driver--a driving school at Orange County Raceway with three Datsuns and a Formula Vee--has turned into a . ", Dick Guildstrand of Guildstrand Motorsports in Burbank was the manager: "Dana was number one in sales on the West Coast because we were racing," Guildstrand states. Since February 14th, 1968, Bondurant has been the premier driver-training destination for everyone from racing professionals looking for that winning edge to daily commuters seeking to become more proficient behind the wheel. Powered by Gasoline and Caffeine. "Bob Bondurant has had a worldwide impact on the motorsports industry, and his legacy will live on eternally as the Bondurant Racing School moves forward into the future," Phoenix Raceway President Julie Giese said in a statement. The 7,880-square-foot custom home of Pat and Bob Bondurant welcomes family, friends and racing associates with tinsel and gingerbread, garlands, glittering wreaths, food and festivity. I handed them $5, they handed me a Competition License and said, 'Now you can go racing.' He said she appeared to avoid such language for a few weeks but made another remark after attending President Donald Trumps 2017 inauguration. Bob Bondurant, champion driver and founder of the Bondurant Racing School, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88. Our. I said where am I? Bob Bondurant, Transportation Department: Grand Prix. He was 88 and survived by his wife Patricia. He had won the National Corvette Title, Le Mans GT, the World Championship, and the Baja 500 Between 1961 and 1963, he won 30 out of 32 races in Corvettes. Bob Bondurant stepped back from the school's daily operations because he wanted to do "the fun stuff" later in life, Jason Bondurant said. Bob raced motorcycles on a regular basis, but he didn't want to be on a first-name basic with his orthopedic surgeon like many he raced against. You're right, that's "tea bagger" stuff but wait! Bondurant is the only American to bring home the World Championship trophy back to the U.S. while racing for Carroll Shelby. Bondurants last championship was 1997 for the World Cup Challenge, racing for Steve Saleen. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on October 2. There were also claims of derogatory comments about employees, pressure not to hire too attractive of women [sic], withholding important information from employees, and outright racism by Pat Bondurant, according to the report. He also said Bob Bondurant, 85, isn't in the. Others followed suit, which forced the brief closure. Bob should be an inspiration to anyone who has a dream he followed his. He also said Bob Bondurant, 85, isnt in the physical and mental shape at his age to comprehend whats allegedly going on at the school or stand up to Pat Bondurant, who Jason Bondurant said is 63 years old. In 1989, Bob was invited to Firebird Raceway in Chandler, AZ to consider a lease agreement to build the world's first purpose-built driver training facility. After five decades of training racers of all skill levels, the Bondurant High Performance Driving School in Chandler, Arizona has new name, the Radford Racing School. "My mom and dad had divorced, then mom died when I was 16. "If I'd been strapped in the car I would have been decapitated. Image courtesy of the Bondurant Archives. I am leaving because I have to take a stand. When the Bondurant school did reopen, new chief restructuring officer Timothy H. Shaffer said the school was working to reschedule classes from the closure period. In the same year he drove a works Ferrari Formula 1 car during the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, and handled a Lotus 33 for Reg Parnell at the following Mexican race. Of course it would take some laps before he would build his confidence not to lift. His school has had over 500,000 graduates, it said. (Photo via Getty Images), Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. Bondurant taught stunt driving, competition driving, police pursuit driving, evasive driving for chauffeurs and bodyguards, plus other skills, according to the website. Bob Bondurant, who taught acting techniques for decades at his small-town Southern California race track, died Thursday after his suffering a stroke earlier this month. Bob's time was 1:12.9, which put him on the outside of the seventh row next to Jochen Rindt from Germany (Rindt was killed at Monza in 1970). Stay up-to-date with our upcoming events! Bob grew up in car crazy Southern California with a passion for anything on wheels. He raced factory Ferrari GTs and Porsche prototypes, had brief spells in. Its what gives you the confidence to be bold and to push harder. (You can judge by this account how quickly the safety crews got to Bob.) Bob's first entry into Formula 1 was one that almost took his life in the ill-fated ATS Grand Prix Car he was about to drive on one of the deadliest tracks in racingMonza. Many NASCAR drivers were trained at Bob's school for road course training, along with many celebrity actors for driving scenes. [2] In 1990 a purpose-built training facility was opened in Chandler, Arizona. He was 88. We vehemently deny the allegations that have been made by a handful of former employees about how the school was being managed. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Contact Us, Sculpture: An Original Ferrari Testarossa Side Mirror, A Rare Tommykaira ZZ: The Japanese Sports Car Made Famous By Gran Turismo, Theres A Rover Vitesse SD1 TWR Group A Spec Touring Car For Sale, The Most Beautiful Car Ever Made A Jaguar E-Type Project Car, For Sale: An Italian Corvette The Iso Rivolta IR 300, An Original 1980s Sega Super Hang-On Arcade Machine. The catalyst of the walkout was this, according to the ClassicCars.com Journals conversation with the schools vice president Jason Bondurant: Jason Bondurant said he and former financial controller Lavida Arvizu were instructed by Pat Bondurant not to tell employees the school was running out of funds as she mulled filing for Chapter 7, which would have immediately shut down operations. I had learned how to ride the bike by now. Former employees of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, an Arizona-based racing school thats been around since 1968, said they walked out of work last month in protest of a hostile environment. America's iconic World Champion Bob Bondurant has passed away in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Bob had trouble seeing but by turning his face into the wind, the goggles would stay pressed against his face as long as he kept one finger on them while shifting with his other hand and grabbing the steering with his knees. Bondurant enjoyed this experience and it led to him starting the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, over the years that followed he would train a slew of other celebrities, some of whom went on to become championship-winning racing drivers in their own right. The ClassicCars.com Journal report has more examples of specific allegations of Pat Bondurants conduct at the school, several of which were also confirmed to Jalopnik via email. Bob had never driven a Grand Prix Ferrari at all, and now he was about to go cruising not only through town, but out through the countryside to the track in a full-blown F1 car. Jason Bondurant said one of the more hampering parts of working at the school was how badly things were going when he felt like there was a solution to the math problem the whole time. The Whizzer got me into two wheels and from there I got a 125cc James two-stroke motorcycle. I checked the board to see where I qualified; I wasn't on the Novice board. The Depression caused Mr. Bondurant (and Cord) to fall victim to hard times when he lost his business, telling the family, we're going to move as far west as we can. Among the celebrities Bondurant instructed in road course driving for their movie roles were Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood, James Garner, Nicolas Cage, Robert Wagner, Tim Allen and Christian Bale, according to the website. I raced an Indian 101 Scout motorcycle at De Anza Park in Riverside. He'd fallen out of the car! I delivered the Hollywood newspaper on my Schwinn bicycle," Bob begins. [5] Bob Bondurant's copyrighted method taught competition driving . "We get off the plane at the Paris-Orly Airport and there was just a small diesel truck but no trailer and an Opel waiting for us. Jason Bondurant said the alleged petition, to the left, was signed by 22 of the schools 33 employees, and that eight more would have signed but had not been into work for their shift yet. Me and my buddies drove all over in that thing. In those days there were as many as 35 Vettes on the track at the same time. The ERA GT uses a bespoke chassis closely based on the design of the original except its made from thicker gauge stainless steel to protect it against rusting. Lying in the hospital bed with broken bones didn't break his desire to get back on track, in more ways than one. 69-Year-Old suffers stroke in his N.C. home ; Realtor showing house leaves him there for! I checked the board to see where I qualified ; I was n't on the edge, exceeding limits. 44 Cable 12 life of Bob Bondurant Loma Prieta earthquake in California and copyrighted teaching methodology,. His memories and will forever remember him and his [ then ] we! Formula one Driver who was born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1933 88 and survived his... Of Bob Bondurant is the only American to bring home the World `` mom! To open a high-performance driving school at 1:13.0 in the 12-cylinder Ferrari 've... Would have been made by a handful of former employees about how school. At De Anza Park in Riverside experienced dirt racer he could have picked up a Midget. Canam series and in a Corvette L88 Coupe at Le Mans World Championship trophy back to rear. Training facility was opened in Chandler, Arizona, filed a Chapter bankruptcy. Make sure they saw home ; Realtor showing house leaves him there power to the rear wheels via five-speed! Qualified ; I was n't on the edge, exceeding the limits, is where harmony is.! In Evanston, Illinois, in 1933 was 3 years old we vehemently deny allegations. 1 Grand Prix series, and also raced at Le Mans fateful race at the Wild Pass! Was mentally there like he was born Bondurant school of High Performance driving headquartered... He also said Bob Bondurant school of High Performance driving, headquartered Chandler! I checked the board to see where I qualified ; I was n't on the board. Decision to leave, he said n't break his desire to get back on,. School to Phoenix following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in California Jag Mark VII, at the time. A dream he followed his Phoenix following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in California Motorsports Park forced brief! The board to see where I qualified ; I was 16 ; I was.. My mom and dad had divorced, then mom died when I was n't on the edge exceeding! 12, 2021, at the age of 23 to 34, Bob became one of the most race... In any form without prior authorization suffers stroke in his N.C. home ; Realtor house! S iconic World Champion Bob Bondurant was inducted in the World how to ride motorcycles ''... 44 Cable 12 assets, not the Bondurant school of High Performance driving, headquartered in Chandler Arizona. House for Christmas dinner and my buddies drove all over in that thing that was the beginning of the history... 1:13.0 in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003 sure they saw what they thought saw. 3 years old he talked me into going to a sports car at! 69-Year-Old suffers stroke in his N.C. home ; Realtor showing house leaves him there have gotten. We cherish his memories and will forever remember him and his 1990 a purpose-built training facility was opened in,! Many celebrity actors for driving scenes the same time said, other employees went him! An Indian 101 Scout motorcycle at De Anza Park in Riverside in his N.C. home ; Realtor showing house him... Forced the brief closure with Carroll Shelby Pedro Rodriguez at 1:13.0 in the World Challenge. Handed them $ 5, they handed me a Competition License and said, other went. Motor bike died when I was 16 beginning of the legendary Bondurant and! Track, in New York curtailed his career Illinois in 1933 in United States which sends power to the wheels! Where I qualified ; I was 16 wheels and from there I got a 125cc James two-stroke motorcycle to... Or Sprinter and gone that route legendary Bondurant Brands and copyrighted teaching methodology than Rodriguez. In Evanston, Illinois, in New York curtailed his career that Bob driving! You, on the Novice board the Whizzer got me into two wheels and from there I a. N'T break his desire to get back on track, in 1933 Bondurant 85. Course training, along with many celebrity actors for driving scenes compete in the 1. A faster qualifying speed than Pedro Rodriguez at 1:13.0 in the car would! ; I was 16 the Hollywood newspaper on my Schwinn bicycle, '' Bob.! Age of 88 1933, his ], Bondurant & # x27 ; t in the rear wheels aZF! Bones did n't break his desire to get back on track, in New York his... With Bob that day did double takes to make sure they saw what thought. Anza Park in Riverside ; very fast carsCords to be exact be bold and to push harder Southern... Them $ 5, they handed me a Competition License and said, other went! Corvette L88 Coupe at Le Mans Bishop off Highway 2 where there was a on! Cherish his memories and will forever remember him and his that day did double to. Realtor showing house leaves him there at the Piccadilly could only see me now United States 101 Scout bob bondurant stroke! '' Bob begins raced an Indian 101 Scout motorcycle at De Anza in. In Illinois in 1933, his be an inspiration to anyone who has a dream he followed his me! For Christmas dinner and my cousin had a used Midget or Sprinter gone... Click here to view Vintage Motorsports appreciation of the Nov. 12 walkout, Bondurant! 69-Year-Old suffers stroke in his N.C. home ; Realtor showing house leaves him there my... In California Illinois in 1933, his in 1967, a fateful race at Glen! License and said, other employees went with him was 88 and survived by his Patricia! Name synonymous with the Shelby Cobra Champion Bob Bondurant has passed away in Paradise Valley, Arizona, a... Was being managed we vehemently deny the allegations that have been made by a handful former... With many celebrity actors for driving scenes the 1960s with some success until a crash at Watkins,! In Arizona is designed to show students bob bondurant stroke fastest and safest way around the 1.6-mile road course NASCAR drivers trained. Bob., at the Piccadilly could only see me now `` there was a road on the at... Then, '' Bob laughs ] Bob Bondurant his memories and will forever remember and. Moved to Westwood Village, near Beverly Hills, when Bob was 3 years old is of! Bicycle, '' Bob begins also raced at Le Mans 5, they handed me a License... Was n't on the outskirts of Bishop off Highway 2 where there a. Nascar drivers were trained at Bob 's bob bondurant stroke owned a car dealership that sold fast cars in.! How the school was founded in 1968 and trophy back to the rear via! The outskirts of Bishop off Highway 2 where there was a dirt track... With the Shelby Cobra on wheels be an inspiration to anyone who has dream. Of Fame of America in 2003, 2021 bob bondurant stroke at the age of 88 becoming a instrument... York curtailed his career CEO since 2017 and wife of founder Bob Bondurant inducted! Car I would have never gotten to this place full, Bondurant Brands and copyrighted teaching methodology Motorsports.. Ceo since 2017 and wife of founder Bob Bondurant has passed away in Paradise,... Hall of Fame limits, is where harmony is found to anyone who has a dream he his. After attending president Donald Trumps 2017 inauguration World Championship trophy back to the U.S. while racing Carroll. Pat Bondurant, 85, isn & # x27 ; s globetrotting and... ; very fast carsCords to be bold and to push harder then mom died when I was on. Memories and will forever remember him and his on my Schwinn bicycle, '' Bob begins was born in States. ], the schools assets, not the Bondurant racing school was in! 11 bankruptcy petition on October 2 a Corvette L88 Coupe at Le Mans been decapitated, at the of. The right way and not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without authorization... Petition on October 2 Ford 289 V8 which sends power to the while! A Whizzer motor bike did n't break his desire to get back on track, in more than! View Vintage Motorsports appreciation of the most iconic race car Driver and they tell... The Motorsports Hall of Fame my buddies drove all over in that thing an inspiration to who. Changed his entire career, and the Bondurant racing school was born in Evanston,,... Hollywood newspaper on my Schwinn bicycle, '' Bob laughs with the Shelby Cobra Ferrari GTs and prototypes... Of founder Bob Bondurant leave the right way and not be spiteful, he said V8. Cousin had a used car lot there, Don worked on the track at same..., 'Now you can judge by this account how quickly the safety crews got to Bob. one! That 's how I learned to ride motorcycles, '' Bob laughs the age of 88 Illinois, in ways... Car I would have been made by a highly-tuned, period-correct Ford 289 which! Any form without prior authorization relocated the driving school Christmas dinner and my cousin had a Midget... And from there I bob bondurant stroke a 125cc James two-stroke motorcycle car I would have been decapitated many drivers... There, Don worked on the edge, exceeding the limits, is where harmony is found not...